


By the waters of the Stilshrine

by LiberaMeDelailah



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Minor Injuries, Romantic Fluff, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 16:59:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11994084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiberaMeDelailah/pseuds/LiberaMeDelailah
Summary: The first one to fall unconscious had to be, obviously, the white mage.





	By the waters of the Stilshrine

**Author's Note:**

> I like the stairs at the Stilshrine, and the path before reaching it too, and I wanted to write fluff so, everything just collided into chaos. 
> 
> Thanks to my beta reader for your patience.

They were tired, so, so very tired. They've managed to reach the Stilshrine of Miriam for the second time, they hoped it was going to be the last. Fortune had smiled in their direction. 

Vaan had lost conciousness in a fight and had been carried over by Balthier, who was happy just to see that there were no longer skeletons everywhere they looked at, nor the damned chocobo that ruthlessly decided to attack the white mage, because of course, the blasted animal was smart enough to pin point who was healing. 

And of course they ran out of Phoenix Down, because once Vaan learned how to cast arise, what was the point of having them anyways? Well no one ever thought that perhaps, the white mage was going to be sent to sleep with the birds because there was always someone with more resistance leading the troupe but today was just their lucky day. 

Penelo was limping, once her friend was on the ground, she threw herself in front of him to defend him even if she was equipped to avoid confrontation in the front lines. She had been very brave, putting on a strong face when she saw Vaan fall to the ground.

Balthier had never seen so much fire leaving the staff of the girl, but he was glad she got to Vaan before the chocobo could do any more damage. He wanted to fracture the bird's wings and make soup out of his insides when he realized Vaan had fallen. 

Ashe and Basch were in front of them all, it might seem as if they were leading and not caring about the youth at all, but once the young man passed out, everyone created a sort of barrier around him, so Balthier would work as Vaan's last defense. Basch and Ashe worked as the first line, both physically prepared for one-to-one fights. 

Fran was just besides him, she had been casting cure for a while now, trying to heal the blond adolescent the most she could. She was always concious about the surroundings, her ears always listening to Penelo, who was not too far behind with her leg and shoulder injured. The girl did cast on herself cure a few times so she could walk and fight; even so, her magic was beginning to grow weaker because of her exhaustion. 

Everyone panicked once the kid touched the ground, and they lost no time in getting to him and surrounding him not long after Penelo. They were fast to take him to a secured place, not without gracing the undead and beasts around with a few insults that no child should hear. 

The Kiltian temple at the mount bur-omisace was too far, thus, they decided to head for the Stilshrine of Miriam. They had planned on reaching there anyways, for there was an esper in hiding there and they could use its blessed help, but the idea of checking the giant chocobo hunt sounded as something with a good reward, and Balthier nor Vaan had never been good at saying no to gil or treasure.

The sky pirate was beginning to feel Vaan's weight on his left shoulder through, and even if he would carry anyone he hold dear to his heart through hell and back, he could probably manage to do it in a more comfortable way. 

Balthier changed Vaan's position with Fran's help. They managed to make Vaan's head rest against the twenty two years old man's shoulder, and when they heard a soft noise leave the teenager's mouth, they were relieved to notice it was not a pained one. 

It was not the first time one of them was left unconscious on battle, the problem was that usually, they had manners to wake the one down up instantly; whose was the brilliant idea to not waste money on healing supplies was beyond him. It was probably Vaan's, but he wasn't going to be the one pointing fingers at unconscious lovers. The only things he wanted was for him to wake, and for them to reach the shrine fast so they could rest. 

Once they managed to get the stone path that would take them to the Stilshrine, they decided to finally settle. The stairs that went down on both sides of the path that lead to the water that surrounded the road was where Balthier decided to sit, settling Vaan on the step that was in front of the one he was resting on, opening his legs so the teen would fall onto his chest. 

Penelo decided to throw herself on the stone floor and was happy to be on a horizontal position for the first time in hours; even when she wouldn't admit it, her leg was killing her. "My Gods, I just hope we tell him just how much trouble he caused when he wakes." Penelo said with a fake bite that had no malice. 

"I'm sure he will know, it was an unexpected attack through, I was supposed to be the decoy..." Basch took a sit on the opposite stairs, Ashe sat besides him, setting her arm on his shoulder, while resting her head on him. 

"Pretty sure he didn't cast decoy fast enough, when he saw the damned chocobo approaching he tried to avoid confrontation but it was too late. Sadly he gave up on the sword and took the rod instead, couldn't defend himself from it." Balthier sighed, taking a strand of Vaan's disbehaved hair and putting it behind his ear, only for it to fall right back in the place it was before. "I'm just glad it was only him and it's not permanent damage, even if my shoulder is killing me, I am happy that it is only one and not the two." 

"Yeah, I was worried when Penelo stood in front of Vaan, we couldn't have our healer and our black mage falling at the same time... We don't have enough manpower to carry two. "Ashe sighed. "I didn't expect you to be able to shot one handed Balthier, you surprised me." Her voice sounded impressed, and it was a welcome change for Balthier to be regarded in a positive spot- He was used to surprising and impressing people, it simply became more common for it to be out of bad deeds.

"I've done such things more than once on our travels, you noticed now because I had the sleeping Beauty on my shoulder." He ruffled Vaan's hair.

Fran moved closer to Penelo, and sat besides her. The girl looked up the Viera and smiled softly, a gesture that was answered with an expression akin. 

"You were very brave, and very stupid." The Viera laughed, touching the girl's cheek with her long fingers. "Please, next time let us handle Vaan, we were uncareful about him and left him unprotected, but you are also a mage, getting yourself in front of physical attacks is not optimal, for you or for any of us." 

"I know, I just..." Penelo's voice broke when she looked at Balthier's back. "I didn't want to lose the only family I have left." 

Everyone went silent then, Basch and Ashe were distracted by their own conversation, but it soon died down once they heard the loneliness on Penelo's statement. Balthier, who was facing at the water, turned his head so that he could look at Fran and the girl. 

"We were not going to left him be taken by anyone, you know that, right?" Basch was the first to break the soundless and awkward moment. "And if anything were to happen to any of you, the rest will make sure to bring demise to those who might have caused it." 

"Revenge doesn't fix the absence, Basch." Penelo chuckled, and she sat. Fran nodded, thinking that those words hold wisdom beyond her years. "I thought the chocobo would attack him again, he looked like he was going to do it, and it was like Reks all over again.... Reks wound was beyond saving... I feared because I thought I wouldn't be able to save him from his brother's fate." 

Balthier looked down to Vaan's sleeping face. He could understand Penelo, he hadn't been able to save those dear to him once, he had left them behind and cried for the void of their presence. 

He had seen how the youth fell to the ground, and he had pointed the gun towards the head of the chocobo, aiming to mercilessly blow its guts out, but the rage had caused him to fail the shot, and he remembered then, that ire only brought misfortune with it. 

He panicked when he saw Penelo standing there and receiving a hit straight to her shoulder, but she gladly accepted it so the beast wouldn't hit her best friend. 

Once the battle was over, he took Vaan, without letting anyone discuss the next move. He knew Basch wanted to carry him as well, but he wasn't about to fail him a second time that day. He was enraged still by the creature daring to try and damage the teenager, and was ashamed that he hadn't been able to be the one to jump in front of him. 

"Balthier, if you keep holding my waist like that, it might break." The twenty two years old Archadian felt soft fingers touch his face, and he looked down to see a young man with his eyelids half lifted and a adorable grin decorating his lips. Fran and Penelo were fastly besides them once they heard Vaan's voice, soon followed by Basch and Ashe. 

"You madman, what were you thinking? Were you not looking that you were alone on the right of the beast?" Ashe began to scold. "You could've gotten seriously injured if it wasn't because Penelo jumped right in front of you and took the hit!" 

Vaan seemed to be ashamed suddenly, lowering his gaze until they rested on Balthier's hands that were playing nervous circles on his abdomen.

He was expecting more fighting through, perhaps a bit more of an insult, but when he felt Penelo's arms holding him and Balthier close, he knew the whole thing was over before it even began. Vaan chuckled, then. His aura began to grow green, and over them all there was a feeling of sudden relief, their pains softening a bit.

Balthier rested his head on the gap between Vaan's neck and his shoulder. "Did you just cast a curaga as an apology?" 

"Yeah, I thought you all needed some healing. You look like you crashed the Strahl, pirate." He smiled, sweetly at Balthier, then he looked over to Penelo who had distanced herself from them both. "Thank you Pen, I'm sorry." 

Basch was strangely touched by the exchange. It was truth, what Penelo had said. No revenge brought upon anyone would bring back words as such. Death would not give back the warmth Balthier felt as he caressed Vaan softly. No demise would make Ashe as worried as she had gotten when she saw her friend fall.

She thought Basch didn't notice, but every once in a while, he could see how her gaze would wander towards Balthier's figure, he saw how happy she had gotten when the teenager had woken and she had heard his voice. She thought him an idiot, but she also thought him kind, and sweet, and somewhere along the wild ride they had gotten themselves into, she had taken a like towards Vaan.

Fran was the one who was the happiest to see him awoke after the sky pirate extraordinaire and the blond girl. She had been casting cures for a while, trying to ease any pains the youth would feel once he had woken. 

It did not mean she was not worried about Penelo's wound on her leg, but when the Viera asked to heal her, Penelo quickly dismissed her worries, telling Fran to help Vaan. The blond girl decided to stay behind through, avoiding the front lines while keeping Balthier's and Vaan's backs protected. 

She laughed at Vaan's apology when he uttered it, because she did not care for her injury, she cared for his safety and for his health more than herself. "You truly are an idiot, do not apologize, I'm just glad you are fine."

The Viera touched Penelo's shoulder after a moment, making her stand straight. "Now that he is awake and you had your fill of gratitute and apologies, a single curaga will not fix your leg, let me take you to the transport crystal while Vaan finishes waking."

"You noticed, huh?" 

Balthier left a breathy laughter. Of course Fran noticed, her ears could pick the sound from a muscle working wrongly. He had been on situations in which he himself did not know he was affected by an evil spell and yet, his Viera friend did, and asked for a healer's hand right away. 

Ashe and Basch left as well, aiming to reach the crystal too. The princess took hold of Basch arm, and to whoever that looked at them, they would appear as a couple, Balthier did not doubt that they were not too far from becoming such. 

Once they were left alone, Balthier noticed that Vaan's hands had traveled from the sky pirate's face to rest over his own, and he had decided to accommodate himself even more on his chest. He looked ever so tired, and perhaps it was not a bad idea for them to look for the transport crystal as well, but the youth did not seem to have a single intention of standing anytime soon. 

If he was completely honest, he did not want to, either. After everyone was gone, the only sound that resonated was the one from the waters that surrounded the Stilshrine's path. Vaan was strangely quiet as well, uncharacteristic of him, but still did not fall onto the category of an awkward silence. 

"Were you afraid?" Vaan asked, after a bit of time passed. 

"After we realised we didn't have anything to wake you, we were." Balthier's face was solemn, Vaan found that he liked his sarcastic grin a bit more. "We had been bit uncareful ever since you learnt how to cast more poweful healing spells, we are running low on potions and hi-potions, as well as things to cure alignments... And of course you had to be the first one to fall." Balthier kissed Vaan's neck, faintly. "Because you were alone and your spell was not fast enough, and I couldn't protect you." 

"Decoy took me a bit longer than it usually does, yeah." Vaan caressed Balthier's clothed arms, and the Archadian wished for a minute they were unclothed, and somewhere warmer, far from all troubles. "I panicked through, I accidentally began casting it towards you, so I had to stop and recast." 

"Why didn't you? You know I can take the hits Vaan, I was a Judge after all, it matters not if it was short-lived, I was trained for such hardness." Balthier tightened his hold around the adolescent, as if he was about to slip from his arms. 

"Are you an idiot? You can tell me all you want about you taking hits and resisting them, but I am not stupid, I know you are not half as tough as you pretend to be. You use guns Balthier, guns and crossbows." Vaan looked at his face again, and Balthier saw the ghost of a smile lingering on the younger's lips. "You use long raged weapons, you detest to be on harm's way." 

"No one really enjoys getting hurt, that's hardly an excuse." Balthier complied, it was true that he did not personally liked the feeling of claws or swords or arrows coming his way, and yet, he would've accepted them all if it meant he saved someone dear to him. 

He did not fear death, he feared the way it came, but he preffered to avoid such conversations, specially when they were so close to the esper that hid on the stilshrine. They would, however, buy potions and etcetera before fighting, for he wasn't going to accept a misstep like the one they had fighting the chocobo.

"Sometimes you have this serious face, and it just doesn't look good on you at all." Vaan kissed his jaw. "Not at all." 

"Well, I cannot be your prince charming all the time, my dear." 

"When were you ever charming?" Vaan laughed sweetly, just like when they had just met a few months ago, so naive. The laughter Balthier fell for. "Ever since I've met you you've tried to convince me you are the protagonist of a legend that is yet to be told, but not a single time have anyone regarded you as such, if anything, Ashe's the leading... woman." He took the older man's hand and kissed its knuckles. "That should've been unattractive to me, perhaps I should've fallen for the princess instead."

"You wound me." Balthier feigned a pain in his chest, resting a hand over the place his heart was while his head laid against Vaan's blond hair. "And here I thought I was loved." 

"Well Ffamran, who told you such a blatantly obvious lie?" Vaan stood up, a smirk gracing his lips. Balthier followed suit soon after, tempted into pushing the younger into the water, stopping just because he had just awaken from unconsciousness and did not want to rumble the wrong circuits just yet. He did, however, kiss the Rabanastran, and the gesture was answered with a gentle hum and instant reciprocation. He then helped Vaan walk, using his shoulders to support him. 

"We should probably begin to head to that transport crystal. We need to buy supplies."

**Author's Note:**

> This is something that happened to me tbh, I learned arise and didn't bother to buy Phoenix Downs..... Not my brightest moment, I know.


End file.
